Pro-Israel supporters march around the barriers surrounding Amir Abdel Malik Ali as he speaks at UC Irvine as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week," a weeklong event held by the Muslim Student Union. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A Muslim Student Union member tries to control the questions by Colyn Desatnik and Roz Rothstein for Amir Abdel Malik Ali after his noontime speech Thursday at UC Irvine. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A mural on a wall is part of "Israeli Apartheid Week," a weeklong event held by the Muslim Student Union to bring attention to the Palestinian point of view in the Israel-Palestine conflict. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Amir Abdel Malik Ali has a lighter moment while answering question at his noontime speech at UC Irvine on Thursday. He was speaking as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week." MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Muslim Student Union security tries to keep the area around Amir Abdel Malik Ali clear during his "Israeli Apartheid Week" speech at UC Irvine on Thursday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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It was a mixed crowd on hand to hear Amir Abdel Malik Ali speak at UC Irvine on Thursday as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week," a weeklong event held by the Muslim Student Union to bring attention to the Palestinian point of view in the Israel-Palestine conflict. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Amir Abdel Malik Ali bids farewell to members of the Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine after his noontime speech there Thursday as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week." MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Amir Abdel Malik Ali spoke at UC Irvine as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week," a weeklong event held by the Muslim Student Union. Pro-Israeli supporters were also on hand for the speech. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Islamic activist Amir Abdel Malik Ali spoke at noon Thursday at UC Irvine as part of "Israeli Apartheid Week" presented by the Muslim Student Union. He said before a crowd of several hundred that a movement is occurring in which people aren't afraid of being called anti-Semitic for criticizing Zionism and calling attention to Palestine. Click here to watch his speech.

Malik Ali has spoken at UCI in previous years and been among the more controversial speakers to talk at the university.

UCI became a microcosm for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this week as hundreds of students, faculty and visitors took part in demonstrations and counter-demonstrations that painted the school as a battleground for bringing attention to the Palestinian point of view on one side and a breeding ground for anti-Semitism and hate on the other.

During a question-and-answer session following his speech, Malik Ali answered questions about whether he supports Hamas and Hezbollah, two groups that are regarded as terrorist organizations by some and resistance movements by others, with definitive yeses.

Mohamed Abdelgany, MSU president, declined to answer those same questions.

"I condemn the killing of innocent civilians," Abdelgany said. "But I can understand the kind of pressure that the Palestinians are under living under occupation."

During Malik Ali's speech, counter-demonstrators carrying and wearing Israeli and American flags marched around the speaking area. After the speech, they sang and danced next to MSU's wall that was erected to convey the plight of the Palestinian people.

"This guy (Malik Ali) doesn't recognize Israel's right to exist. Hamas is not a partner in peace ... we believe if Israel put down its arms, it would be wiped off the face of the Earth. If they (Hamas) put down their arms, there would be peace," said Colyn Desatnik, an Irvine resident who attended several of the week's events.

Desatnik said he came because there are Jewish students on campus who feel intimidated. Moran Cohen, president of Anteaters for Israel, said she doesn't live in fear. "When you see it the first time, it's shocking," Cohen said of the demonstrations. "I can see how it's intimidating."

In February, Abdelgany and 10 others were arrested after interrupting the speech at UCI of the Israeli ambassador to the United States.

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